


Smells Like Teen Spirit

by StellaLuna365



Series: Home is not a place, but a feeling [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Avengers Tower, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Everyone Needs A Hug, Gen, Midtown High, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Avengers, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Everyone, Protective Peter Parker, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:53:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26297476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellaLuna365/pseuds/StellaLuna365
Summary: As Peter Parker starts his junior year at Midtown High, navigating his new life in the limelight as the Avengers' kid and in the shadows as Spiderman, new challenges, friends, and rivals await him. Unfortunately, an old enemy lurks, and he's making friends of his own. With the Sinister Six looming, can the Avengers keep Peter and themselves safe?This is the SEQUEL to Whispers in the Dark! I hope you like it!
Relationships: Clint Barton & Peter Parker, James "Bucky" Barnes & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones & Peter Parker, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Everyone, Peter Parker & James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Peter Parker & Natasha Romanov, Peter Parker & Sam Wilson, Peter Parker & Steve Rogers, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Home is not a place, but a feeling [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1736203
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

**Dr. Curt Connors**

I carefully adjusted the microscope’s magnification of the slide, watching the cultures writhe and squirm under the scope.

I pursed my lips, my face falling. Another failure.

I sighed, barely restraining myself from throwing the slide across the room in frustration, and carefully slid it off the glass, disposing of it in the biological waste bin to my right. I sank into the seat, putting my head in my hand.

My one remaining hand.

Perhaps this was a futile endeavor from the start, and I was wasting my life on the concept of cross-species genetics compatible with human life. I’d made breakthroughs, of course—my research would have tanked long ago otherwise. I’d come quite far in crossing plants and even some single-celled organisms, but as soon as I’d moved onto multi-celled bacteria and mice, out of desperation, the progress had stopped quite dead.

I glanced at the stub covered by my lab coat, contempt flaring in my chest.

I shook my head. Pity was not progress. Pity was an obstacle to the future, and it had no place in a scientist’s lab. I remembered the quote that I recited several times a day: _Every mistake you make is progress._

This was a mistake, a failure. But it was progress.

I stood to continue, but the intercom buzzed once before my secretary announced, “Dr. Connors, you have a guest waiting for you in your office.”

Puzzled, I glanced up, sure that my calendar had been cleared for research for the day. “I thought I didn’t have any appointments today.”

“You didn’t,” she clarified, her voice thin. She might have sounded nervous, if I didn’t know better. Not much could rattle my headstrong secretary. “He was…quite insistent. He says he has a business proposition, and he would not take no for answer.”

I frowned in contemplation, shrugging off my lab coat and draping it over my chair, catching my glove on the custom hook inserted above the trash can to peel it off and throw it away. “Alright, thank you, Aubrey. I’ll be right up.”

If the man was persistent enough to unnerve Aubrey, perhaps I should address it before the situation escalated.

I nodded in acknowledgement to a couple other scientists and interns on my way to my office, wondering what kind of business the man dealt in. I wasn’t exactly known for taking on partners in my research, but I supposed I could consider it, if the return was worth the effort.

I paused briefly, eyes narrowing in confusion and suspicion as I approached my office, finding the door blocked by an armed guard with black body armor lacking any identifiable features. He wasn’t one of ours, and I didn’t recognize him from any surrounding law enforcement or federal agencies.

“May I help you?” I asked pleasantly as I approached, the large man’s eyes flicking to me with barely a spark of interest before he stepped aside.

“He will see you now,” he said, his voice thickly accented.

My eyebrow twitched. He would see me now. In my office. In _my_ research center.

Oh, this would be interesting, indeed.

“How gracious,” I drawled, stepping inside. As I did so, I saw another two guards flanking the chair in front of my desk, one man and one woman. Sitting in the chair was, from what I could tell from the back, a young man with light hair. He seemed quite well-built, though his stature was somewhat diminished by his position, which was slouched against the chair-back.

“Good morning,” I said, closing the door behind me. The guards turned to me, but the young man barely turned his head in acknowledgement. I had a feeling this was going to turn out to be one hell of a prank. “My secretary said you had a business deal to discuss with me. To whom do I owe the pleasure?”

I sat down at my desk, getting my first proper look at the young man. He was younger than I’d assumed—early twenties, no more. He looked normal enough, piercing blue eyes and light hair, but I was somewhat startled by his expression. It was carefully blank, save for a small, quiet smile and dispassionate eyes. His skin was milky white, and he looked almost sickly under the fluorescent lights. It was a stark contrast to his defined physique.

“Dr. Curt Connors, it’s a pleasure,” he said slowly, and I got the distinct impression that he found absolutely no pleasure in it. “My name is Jason Ross. I run a covert business specializing in technological and scientific advancements, which I recently inherited from my father.”

He adjusted his position in the chair, and I almost missed the slight wince at the movement. I wondered if he was injured, and that was the reason for such a pale complexion. It would be unprofessional to ask, of course, but his self-assured air contrasted with his image, and it made me curious.

“New leadership, of course, means new endeavors, and new partnerships, and I find your work with cross-species genetics quite fascinating,” he said, eyes sparking with what might have been greed as he glanced at the framed awards and degrees above my desk.

“Well, thank you,” I said, well aware that flattery was a means to an end, but pleased with the compliment, nonetheless. “I appreciate that. Does your science division have an interest in the field?”

His eyes twinkled. “You could say that.”

He picked up a briefcase at his feet, which I’d failed to notice until he placed it on my desk. “What if I told you that I knew of a living human subject composed of human and spider DNA? A successful living test subject of cross-species genetics?”

I blinked, and narrowed my eyes, anger flushing through me. “I’d say that’s quite impossible, Mr. Ross. My laboratory is the leading research establishment in the field of cross-species genetics, and a success like that is still several years away. We haven’t even begun official testing on animals, yet, much less humans and animals. If this is some wild claim about a giant, unforeseen leap in the field to take my funding, I’m afraid you’re quite out of luck.”

Mr. Ross’s eyes flashed with a glint of dangerous anger, and the force of it was enough to make me swallow. I was not an easily rattled man. I dealt with brutal skeptics who tore my life’s work to shreds with their opinions all the time—I couldn’t be easily intimidated.

This man was not someone to be taken lightly.

“If you’ll let me finish,” he said in a voice so low it might have been a growl, “I’ll explain. Will we have a problem, or should I continue?”

After a brief second of hesitation, I nodded, not trusting my voice.

“Thank you,” he said, small, quiet smile returning. The serenity of that smile contrasted with the dangerous glint in his eyes painted an obscene picture, and I…did not like it. “As I was saying. I understand your skepticism, so I brought proof. But before I show it to you, due to the sensitive nature of the information, of course, I’m going to need your promise for absolute confidentiality and a commitment to work with me and my organization.”

I leaned back in my chair, longing for the days when I could cross my arms in quiet defiance. It was a powerful gesture severely underappreciated. I settled for tapping my fingers on my leg, holding eye contact. “I’m sure you understand, I’m going to need a bit more information before I commit to anything.”

He nodded, smile still firmly in place. “Okay. I understand you worked with Richard and Mary Parker for a while?”

Hesitantly, I nodded. I didn’t have the slightest clue how they’d gotten that information, but yes, I had. “I did, for a little while, before they took another job opportunity with a different organization. They were brilliant scientists. Instrumental to the progression of my early experiments.”

“What organization was that?”

Interesting question. “I’m not sure exactly; they took a job researching something about medical enhancements using Captain America’s serum. It was all very confidential. Why do you ask?”

He ignored my question. I had a feeling that was par for the course for him. “What parts of your research did they work on?”

I shifted, unnerved by all the questions. I felt very much like a guest in my own office, and I suddenly understood the guard’s initial comment. “This is some very sensitive information you’re asking me to reveal, Mr. Ross.”

“I’m sure you’ll think it worth it in the end, Doctor. Trust me.”

A longing in my mind told me that I would, but a twist in my gut wondered about the price. Ignoring it, I said, “My research was on the practical applications and the experiments necessary for evolution, while their research mainly focused on the actual algorithms and formulas necessary for its success. They turned all their research over to me before transitioning jobs.”

His smile widened the slightest bit. “Are you sure about that, Doctor?”

I blinked. “Pardon me?”

“They claimed they could never figure out the decay-rate algorithm, isn’t that right?”

His words had my heart shuddering to stunned stop, and I felt my eyes widen despite my intention to remain unemotional. “H-How…how did you know—”

“Richard and Mary Parker worked for my organization, when my father was still the head,” Mr. Ross interrupted, snapping the suitcase open, still keeping its contents hidden from me. “They brought their research in cross-species genetics, which theoretically contained several of the same byproducts in physique and genetic modification as the super soldier serum, to compare effects. While researching, they accidentally created a strain of the serum based on their cross-species genetics research that, to an untrained eye, was easily confused with the original serum. Unfortunately, their serum was radioactive, and not viable for further testing, so they altered it a bit.

“Breaching their contract, they kept the information of their discovery from my father, who was…aggressive…in his desire to experiment. They claimed that his timeline was impossible to follow without ignoring basic safety protocol, and my father would move forward with the projects if he knew about its existence. They took the serum with them and fled. Of course, as per the contract, their discovery was ours, so we followed them. We didn’t know it at the time, but to keep it from us, they injected it into their six-year-old son.”

I gasped involuntarily, the words shocking me even more than his earlier reveal. Mary and Richard hadn’t been…the most _involved_ parents, from what I’d heard, but I knew that they loved their son. I couldn’t reconcile the heinous action with the friends I’d known. I went to say as much, but Mr. Ross quickly steamrolled my interjection without so much as batting an eye.

“Miraculously, the boy survived. Recently, I reached…an agreement with him, and acquired some of his blood for testing.”

He looked at me above the open suitcase, eyes narrowing, that dangerous glint and uncaring smile still firmly in place. “I’m going to need that promise of discretion and cooperation before I continue.”

Heart pounding, mouth dry, hand fidgeting in nervous excitement, and gut twisting in unfounded dread, I nodded.

He smiled wider, eyes narrowing like those of a shark stalking its prey. “Excellent.”

In a single, slow, deliberate motion, he turned the open case to me.

Inside rested two innocent vials of blood and an innocuous manila folder.

“I’d like you to further experiment with his blood to break down the exact formula used. Unfortunately, Richard and Mary destroyed most of their work, but our scientists managed to recover the decay-rate algorithm, and I know you’re in desperate need of that. If we combine our individual progresses, we can change the world, Doctor. Isn’t that what you want?”

I glanced up at him, my hand hovering in awe over the unassuming vials of blood, over the manila envelope. Innocent, small things that may contain the key to my life’s work. In this small suitcase rested the fruits of my labor and the promise of a future free of weakness.

Unconsciously, I rubbed the stump that was once my arm, a feral greed overtaking my logical senses.

There was undoubtedly something sinister about his intentions. This man was suspicious and dangerous, and I knew that in my heart of hearts. Partnering with him would be a reckless, perilous decision that I knew would regret.

But it was right here. I ghosted my fingertips over smooth glass and rough paper, my heart staggering under the weight of the possibilities. It was right in front of me, what I’d been searching for all these years. My life’s work. My life’s purpose.

The possibility of a world without weakness.

The possibility of a world where Curt Connors had two arms.

I swallowed, closing my eyes as the euphoria threatened to overwhelm me.

“Well, Doctor? I have other tasks for you, but that would be the main objective. What do you say?”

I opened my eyes. This was a mistake. I was making a very big mistake.

_Every mistake you make is progress._

I closed the suitcase, resting my hand gently on the leather surface.

“What did you have in mind?”

**Peter Parker**

“Okay, but…can’t they just, like…do all that without you?” I asked Thor, on the verge of pouting like a preschooler as we all stood on the back lawn of Avengers Compound. “You’ve been gone for months! They must’ve done fine without you. And why do you have to take Bruce, too?”

Thor smiled patiently, hand tight on my shoulder. “I also wish that I could remain, Peter, but Asgard is in dire need of leadership. There have been several skirmishes with the Frost Giants, and many warriors have been injured. They fear a war is brewing. Besides that, there have been unidentified adversaries attempting to breach our borders, and Banner’s work in the sciences may be of great help in fortifying our barriers. We must go.”

“Cheer up, squirt, they won’t be gone forever,” Sam said, nudging me as I stared at the grass, blinking back tears that I absolutely would not let fall. “It’s just a couple months.”

I resisted the urge to snap that that was a long-ass time in my book.

I took a deep breath, forcing a smile. “Fine. Just…please be careful. Okay?”

Thor and Bruce both smiled, and Thor settled his huge hand on my head, gently ruffling my hair. “Always, young Peter. I can’t leave you dangling, now, can I?”

Despite their impending departure, I barked a surprised laugh, snorting. “It’s hanging, Thor. You can’t leave me hanging.”

Bruce chuckled, worming his way between us and giving me a hug. I’d shot up an inch or two in the last couple months, and I was finally barely taller than him. “Love you, Peter. We’ll be home soon.”

I squeezed him as tight as I could without hurting him, shutting my eyes. “Love you. If you’re not, we’re coming to find you. And I’m not going to be happy. The Hulk won’t even compare.”

He pulled back, brown eyes twinkling in mirth as he did so. “I’d expect nothing less. Don’t let Tony stay in his lab all day, okay?”

Ignoring Tony’s indignant protest, I nodded, and Bruce moved on to say goodbye to the others. I gave Thor a hug, too, and I squeezed him as hard as I possibly could, because. You know. A god. He’d be fine.

After everyone had said their goodbyes, during which I stealthily wiped at my face and nose, falling back, Bucky put a casual arm around my shoulder. “They’ll be okay,” he assured quietly as Thor called out to his friend Heimdall, who I really wanted to meet. He sounded like a badass.

I nodded, hands in tight fists at my side. “I know. I just…I’m worried.”

Rhodey nudged my arm, and I glanced at him. “Worry later. You’re going to miss the best part.”

Puzzled by what he meant, I turned back to Thor and Bruce, just in time for an explosion of iridescent light to scorch the earth around them. A shimmering mirage of gleaming matter engulfed the two, and I just had time to catch the two of them smile and wave at use before they were spirited away, leaving an intricate scorch mark that would give the poor landscapers a headache for days.

I blinked, and Bucky shook my shoulder. “You okay?”

“Beam me up, Scotty,” I muttered. “No wonder alien abduction claims are so popular. Somebody must’ve seen that.”

They laughed, and we continued back into the house—the eight of us. Damn. I’d miss Thor and Bruce a _lot_. I—I knew it wasn’t forever, I knew I’d see them again, but a small voice in the back of my mind was terrified that they’d be hurt or worse on Asgard, _literally_ light-years away, and I’d be stuck here.

“Hey,” Tasha said, putting a squirming Stella in my arms and holding open the glass doors for me. The AC was a _blessing_. “They’ll be okay. Hulk’s almost invincible, and Thor’s a god. Plus, they wouldn’t want to leave you dangling, after all.”

I heard Clint laugh. “God, that’s got to be one of the best mistakes Thor’s ever made. That’s such a dad joke. My kids are gonna hate me for it.”

Despite the uneasiness twisting my gut, I had to laugh.

“How’s the packing going?” Steve asked as we piled into the elevator, heading for the kitchen. It was unofficial eat-your-feelings time. “Do you need any help?”

“I think I only have clothes and books left,” I said, putting Stella on my shoulders, where she wound her fluffy tail around my neck and purred happily. I scratched her head. “I’m gonna need another suitcase, though. I used mine for all my books.”

“You excited for the move?” Sam asked.

I smiled, confirming that I was. And I _actually_ was. I loved the Compound, and I’d miss it a lot, but the Avengers were moving with me, which was all that really mattered. I’d be fine as long as I had them.

Basically, while they were the most wonderful home-schoolers God ever put on the planet, or maybe in the universe…I missed people my own age. I missed having friends and going out to grab a bite at Mr. Delmar’s after school. I missed the school atmosphere. I missed my peers, even though most of them sucked.

I missed my friend Ned. I hoped he’d be attending the school I’d chosen, but I didn’t know for sure, and I didn’t know how to get in contact with him. Plus I didn’t want to, like…show up randomly at his house after being missing for over a year. That would be ridiculous. Knowing him, he’d think it was the coolest thing in the world, though.

So, after a family meeting and lot of conversation, I’d decided to enroll in Midtown High for my upcoming Junior year. It was late July, now, and by the time we’d made the decision, we barely scraped by in the enrollment cutoff. I’d just been accepted on scholarship before everything with HYDRA and the formula went down, and I wanted to try it. Ned had applied with me, but he hadn’t heard from them yet. I hoped he was there. I missed him.

I’d thought about getting in contact with him, but…I didn’t know how. After being missing for so long, I was afraid to find out if anything about our friendship had…changed, really, so I put it off.

We were going to make the move to the Tower, so we could be closer to my school. Tony claimed it was also because he missed the view. And plus, I’d have a much easier time as Spiderman, that way.

“Didn’t you sell it?” I’d asked, perplexed when Tony had first floated the idea.

He shrugged, looking utterly unconcerned. “I’ll buy it back.”

Ah, the joys of being a billionaire.

I got out a container of cookie dough and a spoon, already feeling Bruce and Thor’s absence. “Did Bruce and Thor finish packing their stuff, or did they purposefully not do it so we’d have to?”

“I think Bruce packed some of his,” Tony said. “He left his entire lab for me to deal with, though.”

“Yeah, Thor definitely didn’t pack his,” Clint grumbled. “So much for an ancient champion of justice.”

Distant thumber rumbled.

“He heard you,” I said through a mouthful of dough.

Clint raised his middle finger to the sky.

“Please don’t get us incinerated,” Natasha said, stroking Stella’s back before stealing a spoon and a bite of cookie dough. “I think that’s the last thing we need.”

I laughed, watching as the others started to make lunch. I’d really miss the Compound, but I’d been assured that the Tower was equally spacious and equipped to handle standard superhero wants and needs, which was nice.

Tony also said he had an _awesome_ Research and Development lab still operating out of the Tower, which I was actually really excited to tour.

I knew everything would be changing soon. I’d be going back to school—now as a super public figure, which would be really weird. My Instagram had _blown up_ after Entertainment Tonight had talked about Pepper’s press release, and I’d eventually put it on private and stopped posting, except for every once in a while. I was super uncomfortable with the attention, but it was better than keeping my family a secret.

And I’d be going out as Spiderman more, I hoped. I’d been gaining a reputation around Queens, and while some cops weren’t really happy with my presence, a lot of them were actually really cool to work with despite my vigilante status. The public knew me now, from a lot of Youtube videos (some of which were cool, and some of which were really, really embarrassing) and they seemed to like me. Except some creep with a stupidly alliterative name and a big mustache, but I could manage.

_And_ we’d be moving to the Tower. I was really excited to be back near the city; I missed the constant hum of traffic and the reassurance of lots of people nearby.

I smiled as my family chattered around me, still unable to really believe I could be so lucky. I didn’t really care what the future held, as long as they were with me.

I knew if there was a problem, I had them to help me fix it, so…what did I possibly have to be scared of?


	2. Chapter 2

**Peter Parker**

“Whoa, hey now, I don’t think that belongs to you!” I yelled as I dropped onto a busy street in Queens, bystanders scattering as the mugger stumbled to a stop in front of me, eyes wide under his baseball cap.

The guy put his head down and tried to charge past me (which was just stupid) and I thwipped the bag out of his hand with ease, laughing as he stopped. He was looking at his hands, stunned that the thing had disappeared from his grip.

“Dude, get with the times,” I said, webbing him to the wall before he could move any further. “Friendly neighborhood Spiderman eats purse-snatchers for breakfast.”

A plump woman with a lot of lipstick and crazed eyes ran up to me, panting and out of breath. “My bag!”

“Yep, I got it back!” I assured, handing it over to her. “Let me just—”

“I can’t believe you got—you got that _stuff_ all over my bag!” She screeched, gesturing to the webbing as I blinked, caught off-guard. “This is Louis Vuitton’s latest release! Oh, my God, this is going to be a _nightmare_ to get out of the fabric…”

I stilled in surprise, and I knew multiple people were filming. Man, this was gonna suck if it hit Youtube. “Uh, well, at least you have it back. It’ll dissolve naturally in about an hour. It’s really fine. It’s not going to stain, or anything.”

The woman scoffed and snatched it from my hands. Or tried to. I wasn’t _generally_ petty (superheroes weren’t petty, after all) but if this was going on the Internet, I didn’t really want to look like a pushover to all the potential supervillains researching me, either.

Heh. It was funny to think I was being stalked by some weird monster-y person in a dark hideout somewhere. Then I thought of all the videos out there of me missing my mark and face-planting into buildings and garbage cans, and I felt my cheeks flame in embarrassment.

Oh, well. Back to the present.

I didn’t like being petty, but I could also make an exception, so I engaged my sticky fingers for a few seconds, and I heard multiple laughs at the woman’s shocked expression when she tugged and tugged and couldn’t get it back, face heating in frustration.

I felt like of bad, so I let go, but I also justified it as teaching her a lesson in gratitude. Like, I didn’t expect a reward or anything, but if she treated me like that after I got her purse back, I couldn’t imagine how she treated other people in her life.

“You should be nicer to people who do things for you,” I said, finally disengaging my stickiness. It felt kind of childish to say, but it was the best I could come up with. “Your bag is gonna be fine in about an hour. I promise.”

She let out an indignant huff, but her eyes were more embarrassed than angry, now. I took it as a win.

“Okay, well, thanks!” I said to no one in particular, swinging up to crouch on a streetlamp and wave in farewell. “Can I get a volunteer to call the cops?”

“I’ll do it!” A little kid said, bouncing up and down with a million-watt smile.

Her mother, holding her hand, looked up with an exasperated smile. “I suppose we can. Thank you!”

I gave them a thumbs up to the little girl. “Thank you, fine young citizen! Enjoy your day!”

I webbed myself away, hearing stuttered applause beneath me, and grinned. Okay, so maybe the lady had been kind of a jerk, but everybody else seemed to think it was cool. I was doing great. I got this.

“Excellent work, Peter,” Karen commended, sounding bright and genuine.

“Thanks!” I said, landing on the side of the building to scan the street. “What time is it?”

“It is currently 4:37 pm. You are expected back at the van to meet Colonel Rhodes at 4:45 pm. The final van leaving for Avengers Tower will be leaving at 6:00pm exactly, and Mr. Stark requests that you both be present.”

“Oh, right,” I said, swinging back to Rhodey and the van. I was…honestly…half-sad, and half really, really excited. The Compound had been the first home I’d had since May and Ben, and leaving it would be difficult, but…home felt more like the Avengers than the Compound itself. I was sure I’d be okay.

I smiled, swinging into the alley and landing on the roof of the van, snorting as I heard Rhodey jump and shout in surprise from inside. “Getting sloppy, Rhodey!”

“You’re the worst,” he griped as I slid inside.

I grinned. “You love me anyways.”

He sent me a flat stare, sighing. “Damn kid. Tony’s right, you’re gonna give one of us humans a heart attack.”

…

My ears ached at the loud pop from Tony’s champagne bottle, but the subsequent laughter eased it. “Happy Hanukkah, everybody,” he said, holding the foaming bottle away from his body.

He wasn’t actually drinking any, but he liked to pop the bottles, anyways. Said it reminded him of simpler days.

“It’s July,” I commented helpfully as Tony started pouring the champagne into wine glasses. The last moving truck had just pulled away from the Compound, and it was our last night inside, so we were celebrating. “And we’re celebrating a move, not a holiday. Can I try some?”

“Absolutely _not_ ,” Steve said, eyes narrowed in suspicion as Bucky snorted at my shoulder. “You can try some in five years and two weeks.”

I pursed my lips, watching them drink champagne as Clint handed me a can of Sprite. “Seriously? You get super fancy champagne and I get Sprite?”

Sam shrugged. “I could’ve gotten you the Walmart knockoff.”

I gave him a flat stare. “I feel like I’m worth at _least_ a Target knockoff.”

Sam snorted, and Bucky laughed. “I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know much about the modern world, but Target versus Walmart isn’t even a competition.”

“Hey,” Clint shot, looking distinctly disturbed. “Don’t knock Walmart. They got me through some tough times. They’re a bro.”

I laughed quietly, smiling at Bucky as he swept the hair off my forehead. “You need a haircut before you go back to school.”

I pulled one of the locks of hair in my bangs down straight, frowning when it touched my nose. “Man. Why didn’t you tell me I looked like Rapunzel?”

“It’s cute,” Natasha said with a teasing smile.

I frowned more, Stella’s tail tickling my ear as she tried to lick at the carbonation foaming on top of my can. “I don’t want to be cute. I want to look…you know, mature. I’m gonna be a junior in high school.”

“Hotshot, you’re five eight at a buck twenty. You’ve got some filling out to do,” Rhodey snorted.

I sighed as the others laughed. They weren’t wrong. At least the genetic serum had given me abs (which was so freaking weird). I couldn’t show them off, though, not with…the scars.

I flinched at the thought, putting my forearm protectively against my stomach. I was trying to break the habit, but it made me feel better, and…I doubted I’d break it for a long time, but that was okay. Probably.

“When are you guys leaving tomorrow?” Clint asked, taking a sip, and I quickly refocused on the conversation. “I’ll try to time my leaving with yours.”

Clint was going to visit Laura and the kids for a month or so. It had worked out well that he’d packed all his stuff up, so half would go to the Tower, and half would go home with him.

“Early,” Steve said, and I groaned, letting my head thunk on the counter dramatically. “Cut it out. You need to get in the habit for school, anyways. Early bird gets the worm.”

“Yeah, but the second mouse gets the cheese,” Tony argued. “And I feel like I should have a say since it’s, you know. My Tower. And I like to sleep late.”

“You don’t like to sleep at all,” Rhodey mumbled.

“…this is a toxic environment,” Tony said. “I don’t feel supported.”

I laughed, feeling content with my family around me, even though two members were missing. I wondered briefly if there was, like…an intergalactic post system or something. I’d think it was ludicrous if I hadn’t seen so much other crazy shit in my life.

I’d have to take a bunch of pictures, or something, for when they got back. I’d been kind of interested in photography before everything went to hell. Maybe I’d try to get back into it.

I grinned as the banter continued peacefully around me, relishing the feeling of safety as I examined the familiar kitchen, the spacious living room. My favorite spot where I’d curl up and watch the sun rise out the back windows. It was definitely a bittersweet ending.

I’d become a different person here, in these walls, and…I didn’t hate the outcome as much as I thought I would, after everything. Sure, I was a little skittish, and I was still trying to get the hang of my senses and strength…but I’d been through some awful shit, too, and come out on the other side.

I kind of felt like it was an Avengers rite of passage, from everyone’s backstories.

“Earth to the squirt,” Sam said, snapping his fingers in front of my face.

I jerked back, blinking owlishly as Bucky laughed at the dumbfounded expression on my face. “Can I help you?”

Sam quirked an eyebrow. “I was asking what you wanted to do for your birthday.”

I blinked again, thinking. “Um…I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I kind of spent my last birthday in a leaky warehouse with an old guy named Crank who wanted me to be a buffer for him and his imaginary wife, so…bar’s not set really high.”

“Yeah, no, _that_ is unacceptable,” Tony said decidedly, lips pursed in obvious displeasure. “You’re turning sixteen. That’s a big deal, kid. We’re having a party, or something.”

I frowned. “I don’t want a party.”

“We’re doing _something_ ,” Steve affirmed. “It can be just us, if you want, but we’re definitely celebrating.”

I looked at the ceiling in thought. “Can I invite Shuri?”

“Aw, he’s lovestruck,” Clint teased.

I scowled. “I’m not lovestruck. She’s just a friend.” An awesome friend, but just a friend. Spamming each other with Vines and memes had evolved to actual conversations about our lives and friends and stuff, and she was awesome to hang out with (on the rare occasion we got together) and to talk to.

“Of course, _Pyotr_ ,” Natasha assured with a smile. “Any friends from before everything that you’d want to invite?”

I paused, fidgeting a little. “Um…one. But I don’t know how to get in contact with him.” And I was still kind of scared to. He’d actually spammed me on Instagram, demanding to know how to hell I was now pseudo-child of the Avengers and why I hadn’t contacted him and why I’d dropped off the face of the planet for over a year, but…I’d kind of ignored that.

And even I knew that was a _really_ dick move, especially for my best friend. I just…didn’t know how to face him.

“Who the hell do you live with?” Tony asked incredulously, looking offended. I snapped my attention back to him. “Seriously, you’re so smart, but you’re so…thick, sometimes. What’s the name?”

I faltered, narrowing my eyes in confusion. “Um…Ned. Leeds.”

Tony nodded. “FRI?”

“Retrieving the personal information of Ned Leeds. Cross-referencing birth dates with New York residents and intersection with Peter at educational institutions. Retrieved: Edward Leeds.”

She then proceeded to rattle off his phone number, home address, and Social Security number (before Steve jumped in and shut that down).

Tony glanced at me as I stared at him, slack-jawed, and rolled his eyes. “You’re hopeless. I could get you the average number of times a day the president goes to the bathroom, Pete.”

I blinked, my face scrunching in displeasure as the others laughed. “I don’t wanna know. But…thanks. I’ll call him.” Maybe. Yeah, I would. Just…after I drafted, like…a _novel_ explaining where I’d been and what happened. After censoring all the gore and stuff.

The prospect had my heart hammering in my chest, but…in a good way. Putting the nervousness aside, I was…I was really excited to talk to him after so long. I wondered if he’d gotten a girlfriend? If he still couldn’t stand his little sister, and how his parents were. His mom was always really nice to me.

I smiled a little to myself, imagining all the catching up we had to do. He’d _absolutely_ die when he met the Avengers. Because he’d totally demand that as compensation for my disappearance.

“Why’re you smiling like that?” Bucky asked quietly, nudging me.

I startled, glancing at him, and shrugged. “I miss Ned. I’m really excited to talk to him, just…” I trailed off, taking a sip of Sprite and scratching Stella behind the ears, taking her from my shoulders and holding her. She meowed and licked my chin. “I just kind of…disappeared, you know? No explanation or anything. He’s been spamming my Instagram, and I’ve just been ignoring him, because I…don’t know what to say.”

Bucky nodded, glancing back at the kitchen full of chattering superheroes. His eyes were suddenly far away, angled in Steve’s direction. “If it makes you feel any better, my best friend found out I was still alive when I tried to kill him and Nat.”

I blinked. “Uh…”

He glanced at me, chuckling under his breath. “I’m saying, it could be worse. Just…tell him. You’re best friends, aren’t you?”

“…we were,” I conceded, absently messing with Stella’s tail as she pawed at me. “I just…don’t know if anything’s changed.”

Bucky smiled. “Things change all the time, kiddo. I’m sure things have changed for him, too, but…reconnecting will be good for you. Promise.” He paused. “Do you want to talk to Dr. Sanders about it?”

“No, I’m okay. Thanks.” Eventually, I smiled, and he gently tousled my hair. “I’m overreacting. It’ll be fine.”

He nodded. “You’re right.”

…tomorrow, I decided. I’d call him tomorrow.

**Dr. Curt Connors**

“This is impressive,” I admitted begrudgingly, looking around the spacious laboratory, setting my briefcase down on one of the counters. “It’s very advanced equipment.”

“Only the best for my scientists,” Jason Ross said at my back, leaning heavily on a walking stick. Guards flanked him on either side. “You’ll have a partner joining you soon. I’m going to interview him in the next couple days, then you’ll continue working to recreate the original serum.”

I nodded, pushing down the unease the squirmed stubbornly in my gut. “This new job that you want me to start…are you sure it will benefit the research?”

Mr. Ross had firmly proposed that I take a sabbatical from my work at my own research laboratory. I was almost immediately against it, but he assured that my research for him would greatly advance my own, and…well, after everything I’d seen, I was inclined to agree.

He also suggested I take up a specific part time job, which sounded…well, ludicrous. However, he assured me that it, too, would help with our research, and offered to pay extra for my time. For a benefactor with such extensive financial resources and specific demands that just happened to line up with my life’s work…I couldn’t very well refuse the request.

Mr. Ross smiled, brittle and cold. “Positive, Dr. Connors. I’ll give you more details a few weeks into the assignment, but for now, just do whatever they ask you to.”

I sighed, snapping open my briefcase. “Should I start right away?”

“Yes. You can take some time to familiarize yourself with the equipment, but other than that, I want a progress report by the end of the week.”

That caught my attention. I turned to him incredulously, my eyebrows touching my thinning hairline. “The end of the week? Mr. Ross, it’s Wednesday. There’s no way—”

“End of the week.”

His voice was the same, toneless and dispassionate, but his eyes glinted with iron, flashing dangerously under the fluorescent lights.

I blinked in surprise, nodding hesitantly.

“I don’t like excuses.”

Well, I was beginning to get that. “Understood.”

A shadow of a smile touched his lips, but his eyes remained hard. “Excuse me.”

I turned, casting his retreating form a final glance over my shoulder, and unpacked my briefcase, examining my workspace.

Jason Ross was…a curious man. He did, of course, command the attention of everyone around him, despite his weak state. There was something…off, about him. I could immediately tell he was a man of secrets, and there was much more to him than met the eye. His speech was somewhat formal for someone his age, and I had to wonder if it was intentional for my sake.

I sighed. I knew it wasn’t my job to profile my employer, but…I had to say, the scientist in me was curious. With that body composition, he should’ve been in peak condition, but…his broad shoulders were always drawn in weakness, his thick legs trembling under his own weight. I would label it a vitamin deficiency, some kind of muscle deterioration, but…well, the data didn’t fit.

I had the fleeting thought that his composition was what drove his interest in my research—or, at least, his desire to bring me onto his team of researchers. I understood how a physical deformity could interrupt one’s life permanently, and how agonizing it was to know there was a theoretical solution, but no practical application.

Absently, I rubbed the stump of my arm, phantom pain lingering in the empty space. Perhaps he wanted the same answers I did.

Taking a deep, collective breath, I shook my head.

Psychological evaluations would not breed scientific results on cross-species genetics. If I had any hope of creating a worthy progress report by the end of the week, I’d best get started.

I had a feeling I’d be putting in a good deal of overtime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hey, beautiful people! Glad you stuck around for chapter 2!
> 
> Chapter 3 isn’t quiet done, but pathetically, I’m in dire need of affirmation at the moment, so I hope you liked it :D luckily, I just finished one of my other in progress fics, so I only have FIVE other fics going! That’s progress. I solemnly refuse to start a new story until I’ve finished Quid Pro Quo and maybe Runaways, though that’s a big maybe. The Little Things could run forever, I don’t know. And There’s No Place Like Home is, like…not even halfway done. At like 135k words. Lol. Not to mention I've barely started First Rule.
> 
> Anyways! I hope to be working on this a little more, but I’m still finalizing the nitty gritty things. 
> 
> Thanks so much! You guys rock! As always, please drop a review!


	3. Chapter 3

**Peter Parker**

Leaving the Compound was sad, but the Tower was _awesome_.

“Whoa,” I breathed when I got to the penthouse, which held the common living room and kitchen. I glanced out the window, my eyes widening at the i _mmaculate_ view of New York City stretching well into the horizon, a little sparkle of blue water in the distance. The sun streamed to the streets and bounced off the sleek windows, casting shadows and sunbeams in every direction.

“Tony, this is _awesome_ ,” I said absently, walking to the terrace and sliding the sun door open, stepping out onto the balcony. The breeze tickled my hair, and I grinned, dazzled by the view. My fingers itched with the desire to break out my webs and swing around, falling from this height and soaring until I caught myself on the next building.

I wondered if I should worry that my immediate reaction on high buildings was now to throw myself off them. It was fun, though.

“Glad you like it,” Tony said, setting a box of cutlery and stoneware on the kitchen counter, wiping his brow. “Now if you’re done gawking, could your enhanced ass come help us old humans with the heavy stuff?”

I laughed, but went to help them start unloading the service elevator, which was piled high with cardboard boxes and Rubbermaid containers. Bucky, Tony, Steve, and I were unloading this floor, while Rhodey, Sam, and Natasha started unloading our personal belongings onto our other floors.

Clint had already gone back to his farm, leaving us to unload his stuff, which was ironic after his less-than-stellar reaction to Thor doing the same thing. I had a feeling it was somewhat intentional and made a mental note to text him later with the accusation.

I picked up two full Rubbermaid containers of dishware and cooking supplies, carrying it to the kitchen and unloading ceramic mugs and plates onto the granite island. “Where does all this stuff go?”

Steve opened his mouth to say something, but Tony waved a hand, beating him to it. “Go nuts. Put it wherever it’ll fit.”

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose as Bucky snorted. Steve said, “This is why you don’t plan things. Pepper will be over later to help us sort out the particulars, but for now just put the mugs on the right.”

I perked up at the mention of Pepper, excited to see her again. She was awesome. “Okay. Can I put Tony’s on the top shelf, so he’ll have to get the ladder to get it?”

Bucky choked on a laugh as Steve’s eyes slid to Tony, who’d stopped halfway to the elevator. He turned incredulous eyes on me as I swallowed a laugh.

“You just wait, kid,” Tony said, pointing a finger in my direction. “You just wait.”

“ _No._ No more prank wars, please.” Steve’s voice was already tired.

I grinned. “No promises.”

The rest of the day went smoothly as we unpacked, and the kitchen was slowly but surely restored. It involved a lot of dusting and Clorox wipes, but since I was able to get all the hard to reach places up top without the ladder or a chair, we managed to give the whole kitchen a good clean in less time than I thought.

A couple hours into the Tetris game of trying to fit everything in the cabinets, Nat, Rhodey, and Sam joined us. “Seriously? It looks like Bed, Bath, and Beyond threw up in here. Have you been braiding each others’ hair?”

I snorted as Bucky said, “We’ve been cleaning. I wouldn’t expect you to know the meaning of that word, anyways.”

Natasha raised an eyebrow, putting Stella on the island where she stretched, ignoring Tony’s indignant protest of the furball on his clean kitchen counter. “Barnes, I’ve seen the gym after you leave.”

Steve laughed as Bucky’s eyes narrowed. “Fair.”

“When’s lunch?” I asked, hopping from the top of the counters and landing in a crouch on the island beside Stella, who looked completely unconcerned by my acrobatics. I put her on my shoulders where she lounged, purring.

From there, the conversation devolved into something of a small war over what to eat. The city meant new takeout options, which led to a slew of new requests. Finally, Tony agreed to get a certified buffet ordered to the Tower from five different restaurants, just so we’d all shut up.

Bucky and I high fived under the table. _Mission accomplished_.

I was pretty sure I ate my weight in food, an astounding combination of Indian, Thai, Chinese, Greek, and pizza that was actually kind of awesome. “I need to patent some of these concoctions,” I said as I scooped seasoned basmati rice onto my pizza and topped it with some Indian spice. “This is freaking awesome.”

“I eagerly await your cookbook debut,” Sam commented dryly, well on his way into a food coma.

“Do you need help setting up your room?” Steve asked, beginning to package away the leftovers (of which there were surprisingly few, considering the amount of food we ordered).

“I think I can do it,” I said, mentally mapping out what I wanted it to look like. I’d peeked into it earlier—it was a lot bigger than I’d thought it was going to be, honestly. Like, my room at the Compound was big, but I figured since this was a _Tower_ , and not a super spacious Compound, it would be smaller. I guessed not. “I may want some second opinions, though,” I said, nudging Bucky.

“I am many things, but I’m not an interior decorator,” he grumbled, glancing at me as Stella’s claws tangled in his bun as she climbed his back, drawing a wince from him as I laughed. “I’ll help if you want, but don’t ask me if something looks good.”

The laughter and the easy conversation continued for a while, and I was pleased to find myself alright with the extended company. I still loved being with them, all of them, but sometimes so much company was hard to handle, after everything. Today, though, I felt good—not scared or nervous, not anxious, and there was no trace of the lingering depression.

It was a good day with my family, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

…

When I was finally settled into my room a few hours later, I took out my phone.

I’d been unpacking most of my stuff and setting everything up, but at this point, I knew I was just procrastinating. I’d done almost everything I could do by myself, and it was time to call Ned.

Stella hopped up and perched on my knee, nuzzling against my hand. I smiled, scratching at her ears, grateful for the comfort.

I just…didn’t know what to say.

Nothing I’d thought up so far seemed at all adequate, and I had no idea how he’d react. I mean, he’d probably freak out, but…what about after? I’d just…left, without a word. I figured I was protecting him, since people were after me, but would he see it that way?

I sighed in frustration, threading a hand through my air and tucking my left arm against my stomach as my anxiety rose.

_It’s not that freaking hard, Parker_ , I thought to myself, staring holes in my phone, my call app open with Ned’s number displayed. _Just push the freaking button_.

_Please…please…do not push the button! You have no idea—_

I blinked, scowling. Damn. Shuri’s TikToks were wreaking havoc on my brain.

I sighed, absently batting at Stella’s paws as she pounced around, oblivious to my internal struggle. I’d decided to call him today, so…I was going to. I just…had to work up the nerve.

I didn’t really know why I was so nervous. I knew it would be fine. It was _Ned_. He was just worried about me, not mad. He’d get it. I was just…scared.

I sighed again, long-suffering and frustrated.

In a burst of thoughtless frustration, I pushed the call button and put it on speaker.

Damn. Damage was done now. Guess I’d just have to live with it.

It rang twice, and with wilting hope, I kind of thought I’d have to leave a message. That would kind of…I don’t know, be such a _letdown_ after months of being missing.

On the fifth ring, though, he picked up. “Hello?”

I faltered. I hadn’t heard his voice in—in a really long time, and it sounded so…normal.

“Uh…hello?” He asked again when I didn’t respond, and I jolted, scrambling to pick up the phone, taking it off speaker.

“Um…hi,” I said, feeling stupid. “Ned. Hey. It’s…it’s Peter.”

Silence.

I shifted uncomfortably, playing with the hem of my sweatshirt. “Uh…Ned? Did—”

“ _Peter_?”

I winced, pulling the phone away from my ear at the sonic boom emanating from the speaker. “Uh—”

“ _Peter_! Oh my God, you just—you disappeared for like a year! _Over_ a year! We all thought—we all thought…we had a vigil for you at school! Even _Flash_ came! And then suddenly you’re on—on Entertainment Tonight being adopted by the Avengers? What the _hell,_ man? What happened? Where were you? Why didn’t—”

“Ned—Ned, I can’t answer all that at once!”

Reluctantly, Ned’s voice trailed off, and I could hear him breathing frantically on the other end. “Where are you? Are you at the—the top-secret Compound, or whatever? Or—”

“No, um…we moved back into Avengers Tower today. In the city.” Duh. Where else would it be? “I have…well, I guess I have…a lot to catch you up on.”

“You’re _damn right_ you do!” Ned shouted, and my hammering heart was starting to slow a little, because…he sounded just…like _Ned._ Really angry, a little hurt, but _Ned_ , and…and I didn’t think I had anything left of my life…before _¸_ and…maybe I did. Maybe I did.

“Can you come here?” I blurted out, suddenly itching to see him. “Or I can—I can come there, or—”

“ _No_ , I’m coming there,” he said resolutely, and though it was shrouded in lingering anger and confusion and panic, I could hear the unmistakable excitement, and had to stifle a laugh. “I deserve to meet the Avengers after everyting you put me through. I’m so mad at you. And I’m so happy you’re alive. Holy shit, Peter. Just—holy _shit_.”

“Yeah,” I said quietly, hearing him frantically rummage on the other line, a faint smile on my lips. “Holy shit is right.”

Holy shit was probably the only was to sum up the last few months of my life, anyway.

I kind of wondered how the others would feel about me just bringing a friend over to the arguably high-tech super secure Avengers Tower with no warning or permission, but I figured given the circumstances it would be okay.

“Um…I’m gonna go tell them you’re coming over, and meet you in the lobby,” I said as Ned continued to make a bunch of concerning racket on the other line, muttering profanities and exclamations of disbelief over the line. “So…I’ll, uh…see you soon.”

“Holy shit. Yeah. I’ll see you soon. Wow. I’m coming over. I’m gonna see you again? That sounds so weird, I have literally so much to catch you up on, I—”

“Ned,” I interrupted, unable to stop the grin from forming as I felt an almost painful warmth in my chest, “I know. I can’t wait to see you either. I have…a lot to tell you.”

“Ah, man. I’m so mad at you. But I, like… _can’t be mad_. It’s like that time you broke my lightsaber. I was so pissed, but you didn’t mean to.”

I swallowed another laugh at the memory, remembering Ned’s reluctant forgiveness as _I_ cried over the broken toy as _he_ comforted me. “Yeah. I remember that.”

Ned gave a long sigh, and I heard his voice change as he left his house and exited onto the street, listening to him speed-walk for all he was worth. “I walk faster when I’m not distracted. I’ll see you soon, man. Just— _shit_ , don’t go anywhere, okay? Promise you’ll be there?”

I smiled a little at his tone, accusing and pleading all at once, and felt reluctant tears gather in my eyes. “I…yeah. I promise. I’ll see you soon.”

Ned sniffed across the line. “Okay. Good. I…bye.”

He hung up, and I let the phone fall, feeling close to crying.

Ned.

Man, I’d missed Ned. I’d missed him so much. And…and I was about to see him. To see my best friend after everything, and maybe fix things and get him back again, and…wow. _Wow_.

Ned was right. Nothing could describe the maelstrom of emotions in my chest more than _holy shit_.

**Dr. Curt Connors**

If I wasn’t being so well compensated and given access to some of the most ground-breaking data that could change the entirety of my research, I firmly believed I’d quit.

Jason Ross was a slave-driver more than a superior or business partner, and true to his word, he did not like excuses. Over the past few days, I’d made significant progress with some theories and sample formulas, but Mr. Ross’ patience obviously was not built for time-intensive projects such as this one. Despite that, I had a distinct feeling he knew how to play the long game, and the juxtaposition was disconcerting.

I had heard that the interview with the new “business partner” I’d acquire had gone quite well, and that there was just once more round of the interview process before they were hired on officially. I wondered what kind of person they’d be—I couldn’t imagine Jason Ross would settle for anything less than incredibly competent, but he also didn’t seem to be above recruiting people with certain idiosyncrasies, from what I’d seen of his other potential recruits.

I sighed, refocusing on my notebook, staring at the formulas with the fervor of a man who’d wasted his life on one fruitless pursuit, only to have the chance of a lifetime handed over.

It didn’t matter to me. My goal did not change because my research would benefit another—it was always the same.

A world without pain, without suffering, without injury.

A world without weakness.

No matter what sacrifices, that would be my creation for this world, and they would remember me for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: *hides* uh…hey, there…beautiful people…nice to see you…?
> 
> Sorry for the wait, really! There’s No Place Like Home has been getting a lot of my attention just because…well…I love it. Hehe. Not an excuse, but an explanation. I still love you guys!
> 
> I know this was short…and boring…and probably not what you wanted…but it’s a progress chapter! Thanks for bearing with me :)
> 
> Thanks again so much for all the love!

**Author's Note:**

> Hehehehehehehheeeeeeeeee I’m so freaking excited to get this going omg.
> 
> Hope you liked this debut for the sequel! This one’s gonna be long too, I think, if everything goes to plan. Hopefully not as long as the other one, but…it might just be. Ugh. I need to stop starting unrealistic projects. But fear not! It’ll happen whether I like it or not! 
> 
> Thanks so much to everyone reviewed on Whispers in the Dark, and I hope you like this next story! Updates will be irregular, because if you follow any of my other stories you know I’ve literally just gone through an emotional month of utter turmoil, but I’m working on this and my SIX other in progress stories, because I hate myself that much.
> 
> Also, I’ve decided not to edit Whispers in the dark because a) I’m lazy, 2) I want to devote my time to working on new content, III) I want readers to see the progression of my writing capabilities (bc I’m proud of myself), and four) yes I did all my labels differently.  
> So…here we are! Please leave a follow, favorite, and especially a review!! They make me happy. Chapter 2 is done, so I’ll post it when Chapter 3’s done, and so on, so I always have one on reserve if something happens.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading, and have an awesome long weekend (to my US friends)! ONWARD!


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